A MAN forced to abandon his yacht was rescued by Angle RNLI volunteers early this morning.

The lifeboat crew was launched at 5.20am and a Frenchman in his 40s was found trapped on rocks near the entrance to Milford Haven where he had scrambled ashore after running aground.

He was quickly located by the RNLI volunteers near Gateholm Island, 3.1miles north west of St Ann’s Head.

An RNLI spokesman said: “Once on scene the lifeboat crew saw that the yacht was breaking up and being swamped by the waves. The RNLI’s smaller Y-boat was quickly deployed to recover the casualty from the rocks and transferred to the all-weather lifeboat.

“The volunteers checked over the casualty who was thankfully unharmed after the experience, before returning to the scene to recover some debris that was floating in the area, such as the yachts life raft, after breaking off from the vessel.

“Angle RNLI volunteers then quickly made way to Milford Haven Port Authority jetty, arriving at 6:20am where the man was handed over to the Coastguard shore team.”